She said: “The guilt and blame I have with me every day, knowing that I took her [Shelby] to her death.

Samantha Ripley with pictures of Shelby who was killed

“My memories will never heal. She was my baby.”

Pang only found out something had happened when she was told by her son the animals were in the front garden rather than the back. She then noticed one of her dogs had blood on its face.

Pang denied allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place and causing injury – an offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act – but was found guilty.

She was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, pay £500 in compensation, £450 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

Her dog Mel Mel, who was identified to be the main aggressor, was ordered to be destroyed. Pang has 21 days to appeal.

Her two other dogs, Rosie and Lily, must be muzzled and kept on a lead at all times in a public place. If they are involved in an attack in the future they could also be destroyed.

“My memories will never heal. She was my baby” - Samantha Ripley

In a police interview, Pang said the night before the attack youths had been banging on her fence and gate and throwing cans into the garden. She had put a “massive” boulder in front of the gate to make the garden secure.

When she woke the next day, Pang let the dogs out of the house into the back garden and left them while she went for a bath. It was then the dogs escaped.